Silence of the newts: locals call for early road closure in Tilden Park

Residents in the Berkeley hills have asked East Bay Regional Park District if it would consider closing a road used by migrating newts earlier than usual, after early rains have brought out the newts and many are being run over by cars.

“With the recent rains, the newts are out in force and are being slaughtered,” said Cindy Fulton who lives on Park Hills Road on Thursday. She said on Tuesday evening a neighbor counted 19, 14 of which had been run over.

The neighbor, Alan Shabel, took a photo of one of the newts (above) which was accompanied by a Ensatina salamander.

South Park Drive in Tilden Park is closed every year between Nov. 1 and April 1 to allow the migrating Taricha tarosa, the California newt, to safely cross the road. The closure does not always correspond precisely with when the newts begin their migration, however. Fulton said last year she and her husband, Stefan Carrieri, observed newts on their journeys as late as May and June.